Leadership series: Ian Hyndman

Our Leadership Series bring inspiring industry leadership to life through in-depth interviews.

We are here talking to Ian Hyndman, International Restaurant & Franchising Consultant & Speaker but also Managing Partner - Hospitality, Retail & Franchising Division at Dagaz Management Consultancy

You started out as a Franchise Consultant with Domino’s Pizza in the early nineties, and now you advise franchise operators from the other side of the table. What’s changed most about what actually makes a franchise brand work? 

I don’t believe that the fundamental requirements have changed – securing your IP, picking the right partners, making limited adaptations to operating models to reflect the needs of new consumers. 

Today competition is much greater, however, even small new operators can create a brand identity that is on a par with (or better than) established international chains – so there is a greater need to constantly be monitoring markets and challenging your own status quo through innovations and improved practices.

You’ve moved through contract catering at Compass Group, retail food at Landmark Group’s Gourmet Station, and running Gosaibi Foods in Saudi Arabia. Which of those roles taught you the most about running a hospitality business well?

All taught different things. Running a large Gourmet Food Retail business really brought home the importance and intricacies of inventory control and procurement planning. This is an issue that I feel many restaurant companies do not handle effectively and its frankly easy to do. If it’s possible to manage a business with thousands of items on display and in stock it really is simple to effectively manage a stock count of a restaurant.

You’ve lived in seven countries and directly managed businesses in fifteen. What do you look for first when you walk into a new market? 

Consumer dining cultures and buying habits, analysing and experiencing the competitor environment and, especially since COVID, researching the local supply chain.

What made you want to move from operating businesses yourself into advising others through Dagaz, and what do you miss about being on the ground? 

While still running Gosaibi foods I was asked to advise a few small restaurant businesses and was already mentoring a couple of young start-up entrepreneurs, so leveraging my broad experience through consulting seemed a logical step.

I really miss being part of and directly managing a team day to day, but I regularly visit client sites and we provide Mystery Diner programmes so I still have some “on the ground” engagements.

You ran Gosaibi Foods in Dammam while Saudi Arabia’s hospitality and retail sector was opening up fast under Vision 2030. What surprised you most about building an F&B business inside that transformation? 

The big change was the rise of young Saudis starting up small F&B businesses. In Riyadh in one street 3 new locally developed fast casual burger restaurants modelled on international brands opened within one year! Before that most locally developed F&B businesses only operated traditional “Arabian” restaurants and cafes.

Having operated in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia, how differently do investors approach those two markets today? 

The UAE has always had a more diverse consumer market while KSA has a far larger percentage of nationals. 

Developing a chain of restaurants aimed at the “local” market is feasible in KSA compared to UAE. 

Investors in KSA have a potential scale that allows them to focus on KSA alone more than UAE, where serious investors more often adopt a strategy of early regional expansion.

Emirati-founded F&B and lifestyle brands are increasingly expanding abroad rather than the other way round. Given your background bringing an international franchise system into the region, what should local brands get right before they take that step overseas? 

Securing your IP. 

Detailed research into consumer dining habits, property markets and supply chains. Picking the right local partners. 

Acknowledging and accepting the differences in in new consumer dining and business/employment practices and making limited adaptations to operating models to reflect the needs of the new consumers and business environment

Dubai’s tourism strategy is targeting 40 million annual hotel guests by 2031. What does growth on that scale actually mean for the operators and retailers on the ground? 

A huge new opportunity! To be successful at scale operators will need to be best in class against international/global standards of operations as Emirates Airline has always proved. 

We also need to invest more in improving the local supply chain to provide greater food security at scale and in hiring, developing and retaining only the best talent.

Cloud kitchens and delivery-only concepts have become one of the fastest-growing categories in the region. As someone who built physical multi-site operations, how do you rate that model against the ones you came up through? 

I feel that the cloud kitchen model went haywire during COVID with new sites opening all the time without any thought of consumer needs or the competitive environment. 

We are still seeing a rationalisation of the cloud kitchen business in the region – only the best operators with established scale will survive in my opinion. 

I still believe that the cloud kitchen/delivery model has a future alongside brick-and-mortar restaurants, which will really need to put more emphasis on the dining experience to position themselves apart from cheaper at-home dining options. 

Is investment money still chasing F&B and nightlife concepts in the Gulf the way it was a few years ago, or has it moved elsewhere? 

I think that the big players are increasingly looking outside of the region for large scale investment opportunities, but a new breed of localised smaller investment sources have grown to fund new exciting developments within the GCC.

You’ve worked across contract catering, retail food, QSR franchising and casual dining. Which of those sectors is best placed to handle the cost and labour pressures the region is facing right now? 

Frankly rising food and operating costs are challenging all of these businesses with many companies increasing prices to the consumer and/or reducing hours or salaries. Businesses that rely least on imported products are clearly in a stronger position. 

Overall, I feel that, despite the huge competition in their sector, good casual dining operators with established consumer bases are best placed to meet current challenges

As a consultant, what’s the most common mistake you see hospitality and retail businesses make when they try to scale across the GCC? 

Poor/no market research – particularly into consumer habits, competitors, commercial property market and supply chain. For Franchises it’s also the old story of grabbing the Franchise fee without focusing on due diligence of potential franchisees

You’ve provided consultancy in genuinely difficult markets, including Nigeria, Afghanistan and Iraq. What does operating somewhere hard teach you that a mature market like Dubai never will? 

That at the end of the day it’s always the basics that make or break a hospitality business – People (right team serving the right customers) and Product/Service

Looking back across Domino’s, Deep Pan Pizza, ACMA, Compass Group, Hot Brands, Landmark, Atyab Hober, Nordsee and Gosaibi, is there one decision you’d point to as the one that shaped everything after it? 

At one of those companies, we were incredibly successful expanding profitably to the point where there were very limited new opportunities, so the strategic direction changed from sales growth to aggressive cost cutting and the result was a huge drop in quality for customers. 

Luckily the policy was amended before sales dropped to a point of no return. Ever since I have always been very wary of focusing on cost reduction policies.

What’s the hardest call you’ve had to make as a leader, and would you make it the same way today? 

In a new role, closing almost 10% of the restaurant estate - sites that had been established for many years but had been losing money increasingly over 18 months. 

Some longtime consumers and obviously staff were unhappy but we were able to open 3 new profitable sites within 6 months and company profitability and stability for all improved

You mentor entrepreneurs and judge business plans through the UAE’s IMPACT2030 and Expo networks. What’s the gap you see most often between what young hospitality founders think they need and what they actually need? 

CASH & TIME – very often they budget on a hyper positive basis with insufficient cash reserves for 6+ months of working capital and underestimate the time needed to build loyal repeat customers.

What skills or mindset does someone need today to build the kind of career you’ve had, moving between operator and advisor roles across so many markets? 

I am not sure I would advise anyone to follow my path – a career built within a large organisation would be safer! You need to be positively attracted by change and new challenges and comfortable adapting and learning with every move.

GCC governments keep naming F&B and retail as priority sectors for economic diversification. Does that translate into anything real for operators, or is it mostly headline noise? 

Frankly mostly just words – apart from assistance specifically for national entrepreneurs I don’t see much action really affecting anyone else.

What’s proven most effective for you in attracting and keeping good people in a region where talent moves fast and every brand is hiring? 

1) Direct unit level management (Restaurant Manager) people skills and 

2) clear, honest two-way corporate communications – build trust in leadership

After thirty years building and advising hospitality and retail businesses across the Middle East and beyond, what do you want your legacy to be? 

It’s already happening – I am thrilled to see several of my team members reach CEO positions both in the GCC and UK markets, now I am working to support a new generation of young managers in our BPO team in the Philippines

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.

Born in Scotland and raised in England, in addition to working for UK based companies, I have managed businesses in the USA, Russia and for the last 20+ years in the Middle East.

I am now the Managing partner at Dagaz Management Consultancy, where we have two businesses – Management Consultancy (based out of UAE) and Business Process Outsourcing (based in the Philippines).

Our consultancy practice covers primarily strategic consultancy for hospitality/retail businesses, operational support (mostly Mystery Shopping and brand standards audits), franchising, international expansion planning, and strategic HR consultancy. 

Our BPO business provides data entry and analysis services as well as general business support including online marketing 

What initially inspired you or sparked your interest in pursuing this career? 

After completing an MBA in London I wanted to explore the franchising environment and joined Dominos which was then one of the biggest franchise operations in the Europe. 

I found that I really enjoyed working with the different types of people within F&B businesses and the challenges of delivering great customer satisfaction

What motivates you in your work and what do you find most fulfilling about being a business leader? 

Two main things – 1) identifying new business opportunities and taking a significant role in successfully exploiting them and 2) helping to guide and develop team members and seeing them succeed 

What do you see as the biggest challenges currently facing the landscape where you are and how should/will a business like yours respond? 

For our consultancy business the biggest challenge currently is finding new positively minded potential clients – so many GCC based businesses are focused purely on cost cutting and waiting to see what the future circumstances bring and as a result are missing growth opportunities. 

In addition to supporting established local clients, I am now more focused on reaching out to overseas businesses who can see the opportunities that still exist to develop successfully in the GCC region.

Thinking about the (current) macro-economic and social environment (cost pressures, labour market, changing customer expectations, sustainability), what shifts do you believe will redefine “success” for our sector in the coming year or years? 

Greater emphasis on localised supply chains, smart use of AI to support and focus management operations, and a move beyond efficient customer service to real guest hospitality

How do you stay updated on industry trends, customer expectations, and regulatory changes? 

Listening to podcasts of select industry trend leaders, reading online articles and attending webinars to give global and local insights. 

Public speaking on industry topics both within the GCC and overseas, which requires frequent research into current trends and practices

Where do you think the most promising investments should be focused on and/or made on? 

Geographically there are great opportunities within the MEA markets - the GCC is still developing through new initiatives and Africa offers huge, relatively untapped markets. 

Operationally I think that investment into AI and team training into the proper value and use of AI driven management tools can yield real competitive benefits

What do you believe will distinguish the leading service providers over the next decade (e.g. niche market, luxury, sustainability, experience-driven, hybrid models…)? 

Truly enhanced service – personalised superior retail/dining experiences that surpass the competition and “Wow” the guest/customer, converting them into willing advocates for the business 

If you could influence one thing about the future of hospitality (policy, regulation, social trend, business model…) what would it be, and why? 

Developing a universal culture of positive employment – providing real long-term valuable career opportunities to entice and hold on to top talent.

Too often companies see the bulk of their employees as short-term, interchangeable, replaceable resources and then are surprised that they lack loyalty or commitment

What skills or mindsets do you think will be most important for the next generation of hospitality leaders? 

An ability to understand and adapt to different cultures. 

In most developed markets organisations are becoming ever more diverse and different ages and nationalities require nuances to manage and lead effectively 

What is or are your biggest career achievement(s)? 

Along with my partner building a new business that currently supports over 100 undergraduate students in the Philippines (expected to be 250 be the end of 2027) with very flexible BPO work that is designed not to impinge on their study time and to secure their studies financially

What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned? 

No single person has all of the best answers - seek and take advantage of the widest range of input from colleagues, peers, industry “gurus”

Have you achieved everything you wanted in your career so far? 

No and if I had it would be time to retire/expire! New ideas and opportunities arise and get me excited all the time

How do you prioritise tasks when everything feels like a priority? 

1) Analysing tasks to determine how much of my personal input is essential and which tasks or part of tasks can be successfully delegated. 

2) Utilising a quick daily formal system of rating the importance and urgency of each task. 

3) Gaining momentum by rattling through a few “easily” accomplished tasks before moving to the more complex issues. 

Have there been any hard decisions you had to take as a business leader? 

Terminating team members for underperformance is always hard and should be even if done at second hand, terminating people for proven gross misconduct should be easy and fast

What do you hope your legacy will be both for your organisation and for the hospitality industry more broadly? 

Providing long term, stable and valuable career and personal growth opportunities for smart, ambitious people regardless of their background

Could you briefly introduce yourself, your role, and the core mission of your organisation within the hospitality landscape? 

I am a 30 year F&B veteran who still relishes learning about and working in new and diverse markets. As consultants our core mission is to leverage our specific experiences and expertise to provide objective and valued support to ambitious hospitality and service organisations 

What do you see as the most significant challenges and opportunities currently shaping the service industry /sector? 

Instability of supply chains and associated operating costs

Are you expecting consumer expectations to shift this year? 

In Dubai in particular, without tourists (due to the USA/Israel/Iran war) local residents realise that they are more important to restaurants than ever – their expectations regarding the value of product/service and dining experiences from Dubai restaurants have definitely risen 

How has your leadership philosophy evolved, especially over the past few years of rapid change? 

With wider, faster and more frequent changes in the hospitality and retail environment gaining meaningful input from throughout the team and effectively delegating has become even more critical to handle and benefit from changes. Developing management team members and building a pipeline of upcoming potential managers is more central to my philosophy than ever before

What values or behaviours do you consider essential for leadership teams today? 

Honesty and transparency clearly communicated from a positive but realistic perspective

How do you balance the demands of commercial performance with staff well-being, retention, and culture building? 

The human aspects of an organisation determine the long term success potential but there must always be a minimum level of profitability simply to meet short term necessities

What strategies have proven most effective for attracting and growing future talent? 

An evidenced history of happy and productive team members, sustained corporate stability and realistic growth

What innovations, technological, experiential, or operational, excite you the most right now? 

AI both excites and worries me – it can offer greater time for managers to focus on the most important aspects of their role but can also block the development of creative, insightful thinking

Sustainability is a growing priority. How are you embedding meaningful, long-term sustainability practices into your business? 

As a consultancy with a team based remotely and operating largely online our most significant input is in advising and supporting restaurant operating clients with opportunities to make meaningful moves to improve sustainability through their products, packaging and operating models

Looking back, what has been the most pivotal moment in your career, a turning point that shaped how you lead today? 

Seeing first-hand what happens when a great leader delivers successes in a time of growth but whose personality and leadership style severely weakened the organisation in a subsequent time of business stagnation and rationalisation. 

Understanding that different leadership qualities and styles are required for different challenges and stages of business development 

What’s a lesson you learned that still influences your decisions? 

Understanding that sustainable company growth cannot be delivered by one person no matter how capable or charismatic – to go beyond a small business a team of engaged, empowered players with diverse personalities, experience and skillsets is essential

Who or what has had a major influence on your approach to leadership? 

People I met especially during the early part of my career – early bosses from whom I learned the human aspects of people management. Many years ago I attended a workshop led by Drayton Bird, a direct marketing guru, and he gave common sense inputs into the smart, statistical aspects of marketing that really engaged me; recently I have been listening to Rory Sutherland and Will Guidara and have been similarly inspired

What does the industry need more of (or less) to continue thriving? 

More imaginative, bright young people looking to build a long term career, more innovative new concepts and practices, fewer copycat fad businesses 

If you could change one policy, trend, or misconception about the sector, what would it be? 

The misconception that hospitality businesses and especially the lower price point sectors only offer short-term jobs for undereducated people as a last resort until “something better” comes along

What is your long-term vision for your organisation, and what legacy would you like to leave within the industry? 

A team of smart achievers who supplant my daily leadership and drive our businesses to greater success through their own ideas and efforts

What advice would you give emerging leaders who want to shape the future of the service industry? 

Find a mentor who has real experience of the type of career you are thinking of and from whose mistakes you can learn! Join an organisation that will provide you with the greatest opportunities for personal and career growth, then outside of that never stop looking for ways to develop yourself. 

I still believe that working for one of the largest retail/hospitality providers can give the best grounding and hands-on business education, after which individuals can choose a corporate or more entrepreneurial career to suit their personality